Improvement in butter and fruit packages



0. A. SANDS. Butter and Fruit Package.

7 No. 215,245. Patented May 13, 187 9.

I NPEIERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D c.

UNITED Sierras PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. SANDS, OF "BURLINGTON, KANSAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUTTER AND FRUIT PACKAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 215,245, dated May 13, 1879; application filed January 8, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. SANDS, of Burlington, county of Coffee, and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful ln1- provements in Butter and Fruit Packages, of

same; Fig. 3, a detail side view of the bailear and hook for fastening the lid; and Fig. 4, a-detail bottom view of the lid of the package, showing the elastic gasket lapped over the rim of the lid.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention is intended to improve the butter and fruit jar for which Letters Patent have been granted to me heretofore, under date of April 10, 1877, and numbered 189,390, so that a package of simpler and stronger construction is'obtained, while at the same time a reliable hermetical sealing of the package is secured, and thereby the contents are kept sweet for a longer time. The package may be returned for refilling, or kept by the buyer, the same forming, then, a useful pail for domestic purposes.

The invention consists, first, of a butter or fruit package having alid provided with a circumferential elastic band or gasket, that is attached to the under side of the lid and adapted to be lapped over the rim of the lid or the edge of the package or jar; and it consists, secondly, of bail-ears, having eyes for the bail, and extension hooks, which are locked by means of fastening devices to the lid.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the body of a package, can, or jar for shipping butter, fruit, or other articles. The body A is made, preferably, of tin or other suitable sheet metal, and of conically-tapering shape. The bottom is, for the purpose of greater strength, made concavo-convex or corrugated, as desired. The top and bottom edges are wired, for imparting greater strength to the body A. I

The upper part of the body A is provided, a short distance below the wired edge, with an annular bead, a, that extends inwardly and forms a shoulder or seat for the 11d or cover B. The lid B is arranged with a circumferential flange, b, that extends over the wired edge of head a at the outside of the body A, when the band is turned down, as shown in Fig. 1.

When the band C is turned down over the edge of the package it acts as a gasket for the lid, and also retains the same firmly on the package, so as to secure a hermetically-seahn g joint between body and lid, by the double connection of the lid with the body at the edge and on the head of the same.

When the package is to be opened, the retaining gasket or band C is raised so as to overlap the lid, which may then be removed. When the package is to be closed, the lid 1s put into place and the gasket turned down over the rim of the body. The upper edgeof the body may, in place of the bead, be provided with an outward bevel, the lid being cor respondingly beveled, so as to fit tightly and level with the edge into the can, and seal it hermetically by the retaining gasket. The

flanged rim of the lid and bead of the body is, however, preferable, as the former serves to protect the gasket when the packages are placed one on the top of the other for shipment in crates or boxes.

The larger kinds of packages, especially those designed for shipment to greater distances, are provided with a bail, D, which is attached to eyes cl of ears E. The cars E are bentbf wire of suitable strength, and soldered or otherwise attached to the body A, as shown in Fig. 3. The bail-ears E are extended above the eyes, to which the bail is hung, in such a manner as to form hooks e, which extend over the top of lid, and may be secured thereto by rods 6 which are applied to a central eye or staple, c of the lid, and which enter by their bent or hook-shaped ends into the hook-extensions of the ears, so as to lock the same to the lid.

In place of the radial hook-rods, which are permanently attached to the lid, detachable staples or pins, or any other equivalent device, may be used for fastening the bail-ears to the lid after the package has been closed by turning down the elastic band over the edge of the bodyA.

The bail-and ear attachment enables the buyer to use'the body A as a pail or for other purposes, the hook extensions being then turned down over the edge of the body, so as to produce the rigid position of the ears thereon for such use.

The smaller kinds of packages are made without bails and ears, and are preferably shipped in crates or boxes, the upper packages being placed in inverted position on the lower ones. They are returned, when empty, for being filled again for reshipment.

Each package is complete in itself without detachable parts, and furnishes the advantage of a reliable and hermetical inclosure for the butter, lard, fruit, or other product to be shipped.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination of a can, jar, or package with a lid having a circumferential elastic band, that is attached to the under side of the lid, and extended between the lid and can, so as to serve as a gasket, the band being of sufficient width to be turned up over the rim of the lid, or down over the edge of the can or package, for removing the lid or closing the package, as described.

2. The combination of a can, jar, or other package, A, having an annular bead, a, near the top edge, with a lid, B, having a flanged rim and a circumferential elastic band, 0, secured to the under side of the lid, and adaptedto be turned up over the rim of the lid, or down over the edge of the body, for removing or hermetically securing the lid, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of a can, jar, or package having wire bail ears, with extensionhooks, with a lid having an intermediate elastic gasket, and with devices for securing the extension-hooks to the lid, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 3d day of January,

CHAS. A. SANDS. Witnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, ADOLF DENGLER. 

